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Executive Director Report
Great news, Auckland is the world’s third most liveable city with only Sydney, of our Australian neighours, in to the top 10 in Mercer’s latest annual liveability rankings.
With net migration increasing, many New Zealanders are opting to stay or return home capitalising on a "rock solid" economy. While these rankings are designed to assist multi-nationals determine pay and conditions for expatriates, the results may also assist when organisations are thinking about where to locate an office or manufacturing plant.
After all, safety, education, hygiene, healthcare, culture, environment, recreational facilities, political and economic stability and public transport are clearly factors we would consider to determine where we want to live, visit or invest, not only our future, but that of our family and generations to come.
Creating a city and region where we want New Zealanders to envisage their future is core to the values of the Committee for Auckland. We want to build a region that stimulates growth not just for those who live here, but for the whole country; where people come to live, visit, invest and be educated; one that offers world class attractions and enormous opportunity both economically and socially.
We want to be a gathering place for many different cultures; where we value being open-minded and welcoming; where it is easy to do business, to get ahead and where we plan for our future growth. We also want to recognise not only what we want Auckland to be but to understand the aspects we don’t need or indeed want in our region. The city can grow and thrive without everything having to be within our regional borders.
In 2013 the Committee for Auckland released its report, Three Waters: Auckland as a Maritime City, where we suggested moving the naval base from Devonport to facilities elsewhere to meet the needs of a modern navy. This would allow opportunities to be created in Devonport and surrounding areas with the potential to contribute significant benefits in alternative uses. Sensible planning and land release, as seen at Wynyard Quarter, would reinvigorate Devonport’s waterfront and surrounding area commercially, socially and aesthetically. At the same time the naval base located in a region like Northland, for example, would bring significant economic and social benefits to a region in decline.
In last month’s column I asked: Where was the much promised second stage long-term port planning study the Committee recommended in our 2013 ‘Auckland as a Maritime City’ report? The Mayor has now announced he will act to initiate that study. Terms of reference will be established in consultation with Council and ‘wider stakeholders’. The terms of reference will be critical in ensuring this study does indeed scope and undertake a thorough examination of options for freight movement through Auckland including consideration of the relationship between the port and Auckland’s urban form and the opportunity cost of each.
We believe it is essential the study includes an examination of alternative or complementary port facilities. This study must take a long term view, well beyond 30 years. That will require leadership that is bold, prepared to think beyond short-term electoral cycles. After all, imagine if in 1972 Sir Dove Myer Robinson had been successful in implementing his forward thinking regional rail system which at the time was considered too ambitious and now just seem like common sense.
Heather Shotter
Executive Director
News in Brief
Dialogue Session with Hon. Murray McCully
UN Security Council - New Zealand's Place in the World
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hon. Murray McCully treated Committee for Auckland members and special guests to a fascinating presentation on New Zealand’s campaign that secured a seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2015-16 term on February 26, 2015.
The Minister explained his strategy in the lead up to voting during the tough five year campaign. For any country to launch a successful campaign for a seat on the Council, he said, it needed a great reputation. New Zealand has that, the Minister said. And in the absence of huge budgets, as many other countries have, it also required a carefully planned strategic approach which included visiting leaders of nations around the globe for face to face discussions.
A significant part of New Zealand’s victory was forging relationships with many small developing island states which make up the Council.
Mr McCully believes New Zealand can make a positive difference to world affairs through being on the Council, especially when it takes its turn in the presidential role in July next year. “This country has been so much more outward looking, more quickly. We need to have more partnerships offshore and better relationships, particularly in Africa. This needs to be led by good foreign policy, achieving government to government relationships, giving commercial entities the ability to cut risk and deliver success.”
Photo (from left to right): David McConnell, Deputy Chair, Committee for Auckland, Hon. Murray McCully, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation and MP for East Coast Bays, Hon. Simon Power, General Manager, Business Bank and Wealth, Westpac
The China Project
Education
The current phase of the China Project tackles the issue of education. More than three-quarters of a billion Chinese students head abroad for tertiary study each year, 40% of them bound for English-speaking countries. In New Zealand, 42% of international, fee-paying students at universities and wānanga are Chinese international students. Competition for these students is intense, and, of all New Zealand centres, Auckland is best placed to compete as almost two thirds of international students are educated in Auckland.
Clearly, New Zealand is an attractive destination – not just for tertiary students, but also for secondary schoolers. 30% of international secondary students are from China, as are 20% of fee-paying primary schoolers.
In this chapter of the China Project, we ask whether the educational ties between New Zealand and China are all that they could be. Chinese who study in New Zealand overwhelmingly outnumber the New Zealanders who head to China to study. Many Chinese students enjoy their time here, but some find Auckland a lonelier place than they had expected. And it is not clear that New Zealand is acting in concert to secure specific talent, and to create pathways for contribution after graduation.
Member News
 Committee for Auckland welcomes China Travel Service as a new member
China Travel Service (NZ) Limited is an overseas branch of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, with an unrivalled reputation for innovation and experience since 1928. CTS NZ was opened in 2000 to manage the travel arrangements for Chinese tourists and business people visiting New Zealand. We are one of the largest ground operators specialising in looking after Chinese visitors.
CTSNZ is also one of the largest wholesalers for Asia in New Zealand. Supported by the extensive CTS network of hundreds of offices throughout Asia makes CTSNZ unique as a leading tour operator in New Zealand specialising in Asia. Asian background team and Liaising with the dedicated teams in Asia ensures a streamlined operation to provide the most appropriate and sensitive to the demands and tastes of New Zealand travellers.
CTS NZ is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA); the Travel Agents' Association of New Zealand (TAANZ), Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) Auckland Chamber of Commerce, New Zealand China Trade Association (NZCTA) China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand (CCCNZ) to maintain a very high level of product and service standards.
 Auckland Airport voted best in Australia/Pacific for 7th year in a row
At the 2015 SKYTRAX World Airport Awards held last week at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Paris, France, Auckland Airport was named Best Airport in Australia / Pacific for the 7th year in a row.
The SKYTRAX World Airport Awards are the industry’s most extensive and credible air-traveller based awards, involving 550 airports and a nine-month survey of 13 million airport customers and 112 different nationalities.
Adrian Littlewood, Auckland Airport’s chief executive, says, Auckland Airport is honoured to, once again, be selected as one the world’s best airports.
“Auckland Airport is also very proud to be named the 3rd Best Airport in the world serving 10-20 million passengers and 15th Best Airport in the world overall in this year’s SKYTRAX awards,” says Mr Littlewood.
The Committee for Auckland is proud to have Auckland Airport as a member and we encourage other members to share their news with us. Congratulations once again to Adrian and the team at Auckland Airport!
Expressions of Interest
The Committee for Auckland is currently working on three active projects:
- Auckland as a Creative City
- The China Project
- Three Waters: Auckland as a Maritime City
All of these projects focus on developing Auckland as one of the world’s greatest places to live, work and play.
The Committee welcomes input from our members on a wide-range of issues and opportunities affecting Auckland and would appreciate any expressions of interest regarding these projects. We seek to hold project steering group meetings on a regular basis and invite you to participate.
For further information, and to express your interest, please contact Executive Director, Heather Shotter – heather.shotter@committeeforauckland.co.nz.
Upcoming Events
Dialogue Session with Mayor Len Brown
Date: Tuesday 14 July
Time: 12:15pm - 2pm
Venue: TBC
More details will be available soon.
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